The recent integration of Manitoba Student Aid (MSA) program with the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program (CSFAP) will result in a number of changes for borrowers and students who are repaying their loans:

Starting July 1, 2023, Manitoba student loans will be managed by the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC). As a result, the following changes will be in effect:

• MSA will stop accepting payments for Manitoba student loans starting July 1, 2023. Loan payments must be sent to the NSLSC instead.
• If borrowers currently have pre-authorized debit payments set up with MSA, they will need to provide these details to the NSLSC when signing the new Master Student Financial Aid Agreement (MSFAA) so that the NSLSC may set up recurring payments for their loan.

Please note that MSA will continue to handle assessments of new student loan applications, reassessments of loans and appeals for funding as that part of the MSA program is not changing.

For information on payment methods accepted by the NSLSC, please visit the NSLSC Payment Method Options site.

For more details about the Canada-Manitoba Integration Project, please visit Manitoba Student Aid.

“Access to higher education is critical to growing our provincial workforce and this increase will help reduce financial barriers so more students can pursue post-secondary opportunities,” said Guillemard.

“As the cost of living continues to increase, our government remains committed to making life more affordable for Manitobans. This increase will provide additional funding to students who have the highest financial need, so they can remain focused on their studies and achieve their educational goals.”

The move aligns with the federal government’s decision to raise the Canada Student Loan maximum to $300 per week of study for the 2023-24 program year.

The Manitoba government also plans to increase the Manitoba Bursary Fund through an additional $1.4-million investment to support eligible students. Bursaries don’t need to be repaid and will be available to eligible lower-income students attending post-secondary institutions.

For more information, visit www.manitoba.ca/aesi/sas.html.

For more information about funding options or to apply for Manitoba student aid, visit https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/msa/.